WWE SmackDown: Results, Analysis, and Grades for September 11, 2018

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Result: Jeff Hardy defeated Shinsuke Nakamura via disqualification

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

After a

ten

eleven-bell salute (?) and some USA chants in remembrance of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001, things got started with a match right out of the gate. I know WWE advertised Hardy vs. Nakamura as the first match of the night, but no too-long promo to kick things off?

Wait, scratch that — Hardy took a mic and cut a relatively generic promo about demons, Randy Orton, and the Hell in a Cell structure. I wouldn’t classify it as too long, but it was nothing groundbreaking, either. Hardy says he’s going to hell — ain’t we all, buddy — once he takes care of Nakamura.

Once the match gets underway, it’s the typical Jeff Hardy affair. You know the type — twenty years ago it would have delighted you to no end, but now you kind of worry that Hardy’s luck is going to run out at some point and you just want him to be safe. Daredevil or not, even Evel Knievel stopped the high risk stuff after a while.

Nakamura, returning to action after sitting on the sidelines since SummerSlam, inspired a nice discussion between Byron Saxton and Corey Graves about the difference between “arrogant” and “confident.” It’s a good point, and further proof that WWE’s commentary game is as strong as it’s ever been. That’s the kind of insight you never really got from JBL riffing with David Otunga, you know?

There was really no good way for this match to end, though, so I’m not sure why it was booked for now. If Hardy got the win, he looks good heading into his first career Hell in a Cell match — but it’s at the expense of the United States Championship. If Nakamura wins, well, duh, he’s the champ — but it puts a damper on Hardy vs. Orton on Sunday.

So that calls for the dreaded but blatantly obvious DQ finish, with Orton attacking Hardy mid-match and beating him down afterwards before Jeff comes back to return the favor. Sometimes, you don’t want to look for a swerve, or a twist, or anything to wrack your brain… every once in a while, you just want the expected to actually happen. Especially at the start of a show, you don’t want anything too psychologically taxing.

The It Couple

Promo of the year from The Miz and Maryse — wait, sorry — Maryse and The Miz. I hope the entire thing ends up on YouTube in perpetuity, because I can’t do it justice. You have to experience it yourself. Never have I come across someone I wanted to simultaneously punch in the face and buy a beer, he’s that good.